Railway sleeping car bed latch



July 15, 1958 H. L. NORBY ET L 2,843,059

RAILWAY SLEEPING CAR BED LATCH Original Filed Feb. 14, 1951 :s Sheets-Sheet 1 um l l gl w N LL 'M lm nlrlm 1W I 1 i P I H u n I l J1 roll .2

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United States Patent RAILWAY SLEEPING CAR BED LATCH Harold L. Norby, Chicago, Ill., and Basil E. Jones, Lenox, Ga., assiguors to Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Company, Chicago, III., a corporation of Delaware Original application February 14, 1951, Serial No. 210,921, now Patent No. 2,731,924, dated January 24, 1956. Divided and this application September 6, 1955, Serial No. 532,493

1 Claim. (Cl. 105317) This invention relates to railway sleeping cars, and more particularly to latch means for holding folding beds thereof in retracted or inoperative position.

An object of the invention is the provision of a safety latching arrangement cooperable with a vertically movable upper bed and a lower bed foldable below the upper bed in a railway sleeping car to prevent accidental falling of the lower bed from inoperative position.

Another object is the provision of safety latching mechanism for a railway sleeping car bed pivoted to swing upwardly to inoperative position immediately below a substantially horizontal surface mounting latching means engageable with the upper end of the bed.

It is also an object to provide on the lower surface of a railway sleeping car upper bed vertically movable to an upper retracted substantially horizontal position safety latching means engageable with a folding lower bed extending in inoperative position just below the upper bed.

The foregoing and other and more specific objects of the invention are attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view in a railway car room showing in side elevation a bed arrangement with upper and lower beds in inoperative positions, showing the lower bed secured in such position by the latch means of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but on a larger scale and taken in a plane within the bed pocket, with the beds in operative positions, and showing the latch means more clearly;

Fig. 3 is a plan sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 showing the upper bed and the location of the latch means; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of the upper bed at the end containing the guiding rollers.

This application is a division of our copending application Serial No. 210,921, filed February 14, 1951, for Railway Sleeping Car, now Patent No. 2,731,924 of January 24, 1956.

The invention proposes a railway sleeping car bed arrangement including a pre-made lower and a pre-made upper in substantially the vertical projection of the lower, and designed primarily for disposition longitudinally of the car adjacent a side wall, with the upper bed being retractable directly vertical to an inoperative position on a horizontal plane in the vertical projection of its operative position, and the lower bed foldable endwise to a vertical position within the vertical projection at one end of the area thus defined. Heretofore in longitudinal bed arrangements disposed immediately adjacent to a side wall of a sleeping car where the upper bed is adapted to be stowed adjacent the ceiling in retracted position, it has been necessary to provide for some bodily displacement of the bed transversely of the car when it was raised to inoperative position because of the curvature of the car roof, especially adjacent the side wall, and due to the placement of certain equipment items behind the ceiling,

2,843,059 Patented July 15, 1958 such as conduits or air ducts, and to accommodate counterbalancing devices for the bed. The present invention is especially concerned with the provision of an upper bed which overcomes the objections and difficulties heretofore encountered and is movable in a direct vertical path to an inoperative position adjacent the ceiling, with directly connected counterbalance mechanism disposedabove the ceiling.

In the drawings, 10 represents a railway sleeping car having a side wall 11 containing a window 12, a floor 13, and a roof 14, with transversely disposed partitions 15 and 16 extending outwardly from the side wall defining the length of a room in which the bed arrangement of the invention is disposed, and which, as shown, is substantially the length of a bed. The partition 15 is of a type which may be opened in a manner whereby adjoining rooms may be disposed in full communication ensuite, if desired. The room contains a vertically operable upper bed 17 and an endwise foldable lower bed 18, both of which are disposed immediately adjacent the side wall 11. A seat 19 having a backrest foldable automatically with the lower bed is disposed in the room alongside of the window 12. The backrest is mounted independently of the seat portion for folding movements, as by means of the pivotal support 20 intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof. The upper edge of the backrest in the daytime arrangement of the room bears against the face of the upright lower bed 18 at an inclination siutable to seated passengers, and the lower edge is operatively connected with the lower edge .of the bed by means of an adjustable link 21 so that as the bed is moved from its vertical inoperative position to horizontal position for sleeping, the backrest is caused to fold over the seat portion, and when the bed is returned to its vertical condition, the backrest is automatically restored to normal position.

The bed 18 is mounted in a bed pocket or recess 22 at one end of the room, adjacent the partition 16, and in the vertical retracted position is disposed flush with the outer face of the pocket. The side walls 23 and 24 of the bed pocket are spaced apart substantially the width of the bed, with clearance at each side necessary to operation of the bed within the recess. The partition 16 forms the rear wall of the recess. The bed is pivotally mounted at 25 outwardly of the recess by means of brackets for endwise folding movements between horizontal and vertical operative and inoperative positions respectively, and the movements of the bed are counterbalanced by means of coil springs 26 anchored in the bottom of the bed recess and connected with the bed through the medium of a cradle 27 to which the springs are secured and which in turn is pivotally connected with the bottom end of the bed below the pivotal axis in a manner to utilize the full force of the springs as a counterpoise for the bed while maintaining alignment of the springs between their anchorage and the attachment to the bed throughout the full range of movement .Thus counterbalanced by the springs 26, the bed may be moved from the vertical position shown in Fig. 1, about the pivotal support 25, to the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, where it is supported adjacent the free end by means of a folding leg 28 mounted in the face of the bed at the side spaced from the side wall 11, and at the side wall by means of a folding bracket 29 with a manually releasable hold-down device 30 to prevent retraction of the bed under the force of the springs 26.

In the vertical position, the bed is maintained in the recess 22 by means of a retractable latch 31 engageable with a catch 32 recessed in the end of the bed and releasable by actuation of a push rod 33 manipulated by means of an operating handle 34 on the face of the bed or other suitable means such as a berth key. The latch 31 maintains the bed in fully closed position within the bed recess and is part of a multiple latch assembly, including a second latch 35, mounted on the underside of the upper bed 17. The latch 35 comprises a safety device and is located outwardly of the final closed position of the lower bed to be engaged in an intermediate position thereof, as'when the bed is returned to the recess 22 after use when the bedding may be disarranged and pre vent full entrance into the recess, or if the bed for the same or any other reason is not securely held by latch 31 and becomes disengaged therefrom, whereupon this latch will engage the catch 32 to prevent accidental dislodgement of the bed due to train movements. The latch 35 is releasable also by the push rod 33 and may be prevented from engaging the catch 32 during normal opening of the bed by maintaining the push rod in its outer releasing position by means of the operating handle 34 during the initial opening movement of the bed. The latches 31 and 35 are spring-urged or otherwise biased downwardly so as to extend into the path of the catch 32 for positive engagement therein, and have surfaces formed to allow ready passage of the end of the bed and the catch as the bed is swinging upwardly to inoperative position,

'as will be clear from Figs. 1 and 2. The bed is provided with a bedding guard 36 at its lower end to prevent the bedding from escaping into the bed recess in the vertical position of the bed. A pair of cushioned stops 37 located in the bed recess 22 adjacent the respective side walls 23 and 24 in position to engage the edges of the respective sides of the bed are provided to limit inward movement of the bed to a vertical position flush with the face of the recess.

The upper bed 17 in its retracted position enters a ceiling recess 42 which is continuous with the recess 22 for the lower bed but is open on the side spaced from the side wall 11 so that greater head room is afforded in entering and leaving the bed in its operative position. The side wall 43 of the recess is flush with the side wall 23 of the lower bed recess, and the ends of the recess 42 are formed respectively by the partition 16 and by a drop partition 45 coincident with the folding partition 15. The ceiling of the recess is spaced above the bed in the fully retracted position thereof, but downwardly from the roof structure 14, leaving a space therebetween, and is flat and horizontal throughout substantially its major area but follows generally the curvature of the roof adjacent the side wall 11. A longitudinally disposed partition 49, closing the space above the recess ceiling, extends downwardly from the roof 14 to a point substantially coincident with the upper edge of the room side of the bed and the ceiling 50 (Fig. 1) of the room, thus forming this side of the bed recess but leaving the side of the bed exposed.

The bed 17 operates in a straight vertical path between retracted and operative positions within the vertical projection of the lower bed 18, guided by means of tracks 51 and 52 recessed in the side walls 23 and 24 of the bed pocket 22. The tracks are rigidly mounted to provide positive guides against any displacement of the bed in horizontal directions, and the bed is provided with a pair of guide rollers 53 mounted on the adjacent end of the bed and cooperating with the tracks in a manner to guide the bed in a directly vertical path without friction. The rollers do not of themselves act to support any portion of the vertical load of the bed in either retracted or operative positions, but are mounted in brackets 54 on the bed which engage stops 55 and 56 mounted in the bed recess 22 on the rear wall 16 to define the upper and lower limits of bed movement. The rollers are rotatable on axles 57 which, as best shown in Fig. 4, are threaded for purposes of adjustment axially to compensate for possible variations in the dimension between opposite guide tracks relative to the width of the bed. The axles 57 are each supported in spaced depending flanges integral with the respective brackets 54, and the axial ad- 4 justment is made by means of nuts 58 disposed in opposing relation at opposite sides of the innermost of the depending flanges and threaded on the axle so that by adjusting the position of these nuts on the threaded portion of the axle, the respective rollers 53 may be propelled or retracted to determine their spacing in accordance with the dimension between the guide tracks. The axles are each provided with a hexagonal head 59 similar to the nuts 58 to facilitate adjustment. By means of these adjustments, the guide rollers may be so disposed in relation to the guide tracks as to prevent any lateral motion of the bed during normal operation between the upper retracted position and the lower operative position.

In the operative position, the upper bed is supported at all four corners in a manner to provide a stable base for the bedding and similarly is retained at all four corners in the retracted position. At the end of the bed adjacent partition 16 it is supported upon the brackets 56 in the operative position, but at the opposite end the bed is supported in a bracket 60 mounted on the side wall 11 and by means of a strut member 63 at the side facing the room. The bed is provided on its underside with a laterally projecting bracket including a depending stud 61 adapted to enter an opening 62 provided therefore in the supporting bracket 66 as the bed is lowered whereby to afford an intercngaging connection serving the twofold function of positively preventing lateral movement of this end of the bed while offering a solid support against downward deflection. The strut 63 also serves a twofold purpose in that it prevents upward movements of this end of the bed in addition to offering a positive support for this side of the bed where entry is made by the passenger. The strut is pivotally mounted on the side wall of the bed for folding across the bedding when the bed is retracted, but in the operative position is disposed upright and is detachably secured to a fastening member 64 on the ceiling 50 by means of a releasable latch member 65 whereby to act as a strut in preventing any vertical displacement of the bed.

The strut 63 acts as a hold-down at that end of the bed, but at the end in the recess 22 the bed is held down by a releasable spring-pressed catch 66 engageable automatically into a detent 67 in the adjacent side wall of the bed as the bed reaches its final operative position, thereby to lock this end of the bed against upward movement. The catch 66 is mounted in the side Wall 24 of the bed recess and is unique in that it is designed to avoid interference with the operation of the lower bed 18 while being adapted to automatic engagement with the upper bed The catch is provided with a tapering surface forwardly to provide for its automatic retraction by the lower bed as that bed is folded into the bed recess, pressing the catch out of the path of movement as the side wall of the bed engages the sloping surface. An upwardly receding surface on the catch provides for its being pressed out of the path of the lower edge of the upper bed as it is lowered past the catch, which then springs into the detent 67, with its lowermost surface acting as a positive shoulder to lock the bed in operative position.

The bed 17 is secured adjacent all four corners in the upper retracted position by means of releasable catches which are automatically engaged when the bed is raised. At the bed recess 22, spring-pressed catches 73 are mounted in the side walls 23 and 24 of the recess in position to lock the bed in its uppermost position. The catch 73 in the recess side wall 24 is adapted to enter the same detent 67 as engaged by the lower catch 66, the detent being provided with upper and lower shoulders for engagement by the respective catches, and the catch 73 at the opposite side is adapted to engage a similar but single acting detent on that side of the bed, thereby securely to support this end of the bed in inoperative position. A catch 74 mounted in the side wall 43 of the upper bed pocket 42 adjacent the other end of the bed engages a detent in the adjacent side wall of the bed similar to that engaged by the catch 73 to support this side of the bed, while the other side at this end is supported by means of a catch 76 mounted on the drop partition 45 and engageable with a detent in the adjacent end of the bed. Thus the bed is rigidly supported against any possibility of rattles or vibration in its uppermost position against the upper limit stops 55 in the bed recess and similar stops provided at the opposite end of the bed.

The locking catches are all spring-pressed for automatic actuation as the bed is raised and are releasable simultaneously when it is desired to lower the bed for use. The mechanism for releasing all of the catches is contained within the bed and includes push rods 81, 82, 83 and 84 operatively associated with the detents for the respective catches 73, 74 and 76. The push rods are slidable through the detents to engage the catches and press them from engagement therewith and are retractable each by means of a spring 85. The means for directly actuating the push rods comprises a pair of bellcranks-79 and 80 pivotally mounted in the bed adjacent respectively opposite ends and to which the rods are operatively connected, and each of the bellcranks operates a pair of push rods at respective ends of the bed. The bellcrank 79 at the end of the bed in the recess 22 operates the push rods 81 and 82 in directly opposite directions transversely of the bed to release the catches 73 in the side walls 23 and 24 of the bed recess, while the bellcrank 80 at the opposite end of the bed operates the push rod 83 in a direction transversely of the bed at the same time it operates the rod 84 lengthwise of the bed, thereby to release the catches 74 and 76 respectively. Both bellcranks are rotated by a pair of pull rods 77 which are actuated in respectively opposite directions lengthwise of the bed by a rotatable lever member 78 which is adapted to be actuated from the underside of the bed by means of a porters berth key.

As best shown in Fig. 3, it will readily be seen that actuation of the lever member 78 will cause the bellcranks 79 and 80 to be rotated in a manner to propel all of the push rods in directions to press the respective retaining catches out of engagement with the associated detents on the bed to permit withdrawal of the bed from the ceiling recess 42. Similarly, actuation of the mechanism by means of the berth key in the operative position of the bed will cause the push rod 81 to press the catch 66 from engagement with the detent 67 when it is desired to restore the bed to its upper retracted position, it being understood that the strut member 63 must first be released from the ceiling catch 64 and folded across the bed before the bed can be raised. Thus, the same mechanism is used to release the bed locking means in either the operative or inoperative positions.

The vertical movements of the bed 17 are fully counterbalanced for easy operation by means of mechanism disposed above the recess ceiling, extending lengthwise and operatively connected with all four corners of the bed. The counterbalancing arrangement is not shown, since it may comprise any mechanism suitable for the purpose. It may conveniently be housed between the ceiling of the upper bed recess 42 and the car roof 14. Flexible cables 108 and 109 connect the counterbalance mechanism with the respective ends of the bed. The cables 108 extend from the mechanism downwardly for connection with the ends of the bed at the inner or room adjacent side where they are fixedly secured, while the cables 109 extend downwardly at the other side of the bed for connection with the ends of the bed where they are fixedly secured by means of clamping brackets 112. Thus all four corners of the bed are connected with the counterbalancing mechanism in a manner whereby equal force is applied to each of the four points.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that there has been provided, in a bed arrangement including a pre-rnade endwise foldable lower bed and a pre-made vertically movable upper bed, a latch arrangement mounted on a substantially horizontal surface just above the latch-engaging end of the lower bed in its inoperative position by which the lower bed is locked in fully retracted position and is held against accidental movement toward operative position when it has not been moved to completely retracted position, such mounting surface being provided by the upper bed in its retracted position. The lower bed is thus safely held against accidental falling from inoperative position.

What is claimed is:

In a railway car having a passenger space defined in part by a ceiling and a partition and a wall at one side of the space and having a continuous recess including a horizontal portion in the ceiling and a vertical portion adjacent to and defined in part by the partition below the horizontal portion, an upper bed in said horizontal recess portion and a lower bed in the vertical recess portion, said upper bed being movable vertically between a lower operative position and an upper retracted position in the horizontal recess portion with its lower surface providing a substantially horizontal surface at the upper end of the vertical recess portion and said lower bed being pivoted to swing between a substantially horizontal operative position and a substantially vertical retracted position in said vertical recess portion with the upper end thereof directly below and in close proximity to said horizontal surface, a catch on said upper end of the lower bed, a first latch means projecting from said lower horizontal surface of the upper bed including a downwardly biased retractable latch member located at the upper end of the path of movement of said catch and engaging the catch in the fully retracted position of the lower bed to lock the bed against initial opening movement, a second latch means projecting from said lower horizontal surface of the upper bed including a downwardly biased retractable latch member located at a point intermediate the ends of said path and engaging said catch in an intermediate position of the lower bed to secure the bed against further opening movement, and manually operable means at said upper end of the lower bed for releasing said first latch means from said catch to unlock the bed and also to release said second latch means from the catch to permit the bed to be moved to said horizontal operative position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 940,383 Felton Nov. 16, 1909 2,443,552 Brack June 15, 1948 2,612,120 Crawford Sept. 30, 1952 2,619,044 Jones Nov. 25, 1952 2,632,183 Patton et a1. Mar. 24, 1953 

